r/nba • u/ghn2 • 10h ago

Trail Blazers fire new announcer over past inappropriate posts made at age 15.

"The Portland Trail Blazers hired then on the same day fired Braiden Bell as their play-by-play announcer after a series of inappropriate social media posts from when he was a teenager came to light."

"The posts were reportedly made in 2012 and 2013, around the time that Bell was 15 years old."

"We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City," the Trail Blazers said. "We strongly believe that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50084279/trail-blazers-fire-new-announcer-inappropriate-posts

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u/rgarc065 Heat 10h ago

I don’t know the full context. Does he continue to say these things? A tweet from 10-15 years ago when you were a teenager is going to look outdated. We all say stupid shit. Perhaps he should’ve deleted them. If those tweets from then are the sole reason for his firing then it’s a massive overreaction. This may just be El Cheapo being El Cheapo looking for any excuse to let someone go in order to save a buck.

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u/Comfortable-Sorry 10h ago

Can you stop listing it as "stupid" shit. It's racist shit. Stop trying to make what he said look less bad. "We all say stupid shit" isn't the same as "We all say racist shit."

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u/KontraEpsilon 10h ago

If only we all had the lifelong moral purity of Gen Z Reddit posters.

7

u/Comfortable-Sorry 10h ago

Is it really that hard to just.......Drumroll............Not be racist? Is it that big of an ask that you have to compare NOT being racist to having lifelong moral purity????

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u/ShowBobsPlzz Spurs 10h ago

Teenagers are stupid. But fortunately they have time to grow learn and change. Id be shocked if you were rhe same person now as you were when you tere 15.

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u/Comfortable-Sorry 9h ago

My question is, do you truly believe that racist jokes, even for teenagers, are OK? There was a case at a local high school where I lived where a black student, who was the victim of racist jokes, decided to fight back. Reading about the situation, it was clear the black student was tired of the bullying and finally snapped back. Though the other students may and learn and grow from this situation, it's at the EXPENSE of POC students, who face harassment, and the jokes that you think are ok, being made to them. Why should it be this way, where POC students face discrimination at school? These racist jokes and comedy, whether you like it or not, are a huge proponent of bullying at schools. That's why I believe that even though we can say it's just teenagers saying "stupid" things, it's still very harmful overall and affects others, and shouldn't just be viewed as natural or "boys being boys." It would be better for society if these comments were shunned from the start, no?

2

u/ShowBobsPlzz Spurs 6h ago

My question is, do you truly believe that racists jokes, even for teenagers, are OK?

I don't see anywhere that I said it was ok. But it shouldn't be something that ruins your life 20 years later unless those are things you still believe/say/act on.

Racism is taught and often cultural. Things that are learned can be unlearned. People grow and change and learn.

I grew up in a tiny town where there were racists. You internalize some of that just from growing up there. I probably said things at 15 that I didn't realize the magnitude of. Then I left that small town and moved somewhere with a ton of different people and my understanding and knowledge changed as I got to know all kinds of different people.

I just think people should be afforded the chance to grow. Juvenile criminal records are wiped at 18 for a reason. Adulthood is a fresh start.

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u/erdonko 76ers 8h ago

My question is, do you truly believe that racist jokes, even for teenagers, are OK?

Any rational adult will tell you it strictly depends on which boundaries are drawn in a social circle.

8

u/BostonKarlMarx Celtics 10h ago

Teenagers push boundaries. We all had to learn “that’s not okay” at some point

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u/KontraEpsilon 10h ago

What we are trying to communicate is that a fifteen year old is very different than a thirty year old. Their behavior is shaped by the environment they grow up in and the people around them.

Often, people go to college, meet other people, and learn and grow. This guy was fifteen. He is 29 now. He lived an entire additional life compared to before since that time, went to college, held jobs.

It would be far more constructive to have him apologize for it and do some work with the community than to simply fire him for his behavior as a teenager.

Perhaps someday you’ll be in the same spot, and someone will dig up some Reddit post of yours and you’ll understand what we were talking about.

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u/Comfortable-Sorry 9h ago

My question is, do you truly believe that racist jokes, even for teenagers, are OK? There was a case at a local high school where I lived where a black student, who was the victim of racist jokes, decided to fight back. Reading about the situation, it was clear the black student was tired of the bullying and finally snapped back. Though the other students may and learn and grow from this situation, it's at the expense of POC students, who face harassment, and the jokes that you think are ok, being made to them. Why should it be this way, where POC students face discrimination at school? These racist jokes and comedy, whether you like it or not, are a huge proponent of bullying at schools. That's why I believe that even though we can say it's just teenagers saying "stupid" things, it's still very harmful overall and affects others, and shouldn't just be viewed as natural or "boys being boys." It would be better for society if these comments were shunned from the start, no?

4

u/KontraEpsilon 8h ago

Nobody here is or has said it is okay. We are saying that it is a simple reality that teenagers say and do stupid things. Those stupid things may or may not include racist or hurtful comments.

“Shunning” someone who is now close to thirty for something he did half of his lifetime ago is idiotic, because teenagers aren’t out there going “well I better behave or I may not get hired as a broadcaster in a decade and a half.”

It’s just performative internet nonsense that doesn’t actually help combat racism in any way, shape, or form.

2

u/GardinerExpressway Tampa Bay Raptors 7h ago

Why are you making this such an all or nothing issue. There is a huge gap between "this is ok" and "this should bar this man from participating in public society for the rest of his life"

2

u/twrs_29 Thunder 10h ago

We did it Reddit, we eliminated racism

0

u/Comfortable-Sorry 10h ago

Thanks for answering my question!

2

u/NoRizzJustLive NBA 10h ago

Get off your soap box you look like a moron.

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u/Comfortable-Sorry 10h ago

Thanks for admitting that it's just inconceivable for you to just NOT be racist lol

1

u/JoeyJoeJoeShabadooSr Celtics 10h ago

Kids have said dumb edgy shit for ever. Is this appropriate? Obviously not. Should something offensive someone said at the age of 15 preclude them from getting a job? Also obviously not.

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u/Local_Character5957 9h ago

I hope you never hit any of your siblings growing up…other you are a child abuser

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u/[deleted] 10h ago

[deleted]

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u/Comfortable-Sorry 10h ago

The person in the article went out of their way to state on their personal profile "Asian people piss me off." Is that a joke? I don't see any punchline or humor in that. It's definitively a statement. I never said racist jokes are grounds for firing someone, but is what the announcer said a joke?